By DPA,
Ankara : US President Barack Obama arrived in Turkey Sunday on an official visit that would see him fulfilling a pledge to visit the Muslim nation in his first 100 days in office.
Obama was expected to seek to emphasize his administration’s new approaches to regional problems in talks with Turkish leaders President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the capital Ankara Monday.
Discussions on withdrawing US troops from Iraq, stepping up reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan and new US moves to engage Iran and Syria were also expected to be high on the agenda.
Relations between the US and Turkey – NATO allies – were sorely tested by the 2004 US-led invasion of Iraq.
Obama was also due to address the Turkish parliament, and tour the ancient city of Istanbul.
Obama flew in to Ankara from Prague where he had encouraged European Union (EU) heads of state and government to include Turkey as a member. Demonstrations against the US’ policy in the Middle East took place in Ankara and Istanbul ahead of his arrival.